Chetumal, Mexico

If you're heading south to Belize or Guatemala, you can't avoid the capital of Quintana Roo, CHETUMAL, 15km from the Belize border – the neighbouring country's influence is reflected in everything from the language (many people speak English) to the clapboard houses. Obliterated by Hurricane Janet in 1955, the city is a hodgepodge of modern concrete buildings (some even exuding a bit of 1960s flair) and a few old wooden houses with porches that remain from the settlement's earliest days. With almost no notable "sights" to speak of, Chetumal is largely oblivious to tourists – which can be refreshing after the hedonism of the Riviera Maya.